Baked Rigatoni With Spicy Italian Sausage

I don't know anyone who doesn't enjoy a nice baked pasta. The only problem is that it can be a pain in the patooty to make. Not this particular one, its yummy and has a flavor profile. Start to finish it should take 1 hour. Make sure you use great ingredients and you will get great flavor.

Ingredients:

3 hot Italian sausage links (make sure they are of good quality)
1 pound of rigatoni
1 32oz can or crushed tomato
16oz of water or red wine
1 tbs dried basil
1tbs dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1 medium onion diced
4 cloves of garlic diced
1 tbs sugar
2 tbs olive oil
1 cup of cheese (we use mozzarella flavored rice cheese)

preheat oven to 350 degrees, take a stock pot and prepare water for pasta, and cook according to the package. Drain and place pasta back into the pot

.In a pot on medium heat saute onion, garlic and herbs in 1 tbs of olive oil until the onion is translucent. 

 Then add crushed tomato, half a can of vino or water. Lower heat and simmer until reduced by 1/2 about 30mins.

In a skillet on med/high heat cook sausage links, add 1/2 a cup of water and cover. Let sausage rest for 5 mins.

Cut sausage on a bias.

In the pot with the pasta add half of the sauce and the sliced sausage and mix, spoon this mixture in a baking dish. Top the pasta with the rest of the sauce.

 

Bake for 20 mins and add cheese if desired.

Enjoy!

Chilaquiles With Chicken and Salsa Verde

I love chilaquiles, when made well its a party in your mouth. When living in Mexico, Sunday was my favorite day. I would go to my favorite coffee shop and order chilaquiles and Skype with family and friends.  I wish I was able to eat it with crema and queso fresco... I can't wait until that day comes again.

Ingredients:

6oz salsa verde
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup of chicken shredded
3 handfuls of good tortilla chips
2 eggs cooked to your liking
1/4 of spanish onion sliced
1/4 cup of cilantro chopped
2 tbs of Mexican crema or sour cream
desired amount of queso fresco crumbled

You can use jarred salsa verde or make it at home. I have pictured here a 6oz jar of my homemade roasted salsa verde. You can find the recipe here.

In a skillet on medium/high heat add salsa verde and chicken stock and reduce by 1/4

Add tortilla chips and coat with sauce, add chicken and cover and cook for 5 mins. Meanwhile make eggs to your liking. 

Plate the tortilla mixture and top with an egg, garnish with onion, fresh cilantro, crema and cheese

Its typical to serve this dish with refried beans and avocado.

Provecho!

Mini Banana Orange Muffins

The Husband Person had a meeting at his school today and we had a guest over so I decided to make a quick batch of these up to have with coffee. As well as to drop off  a batch to my husband so he had a little something for his guest during their meeting.

Now these little 2 bite sweeties are packed with flavor and they are very quick to make. So don't waste those bananas! You can use any size muffin tin, or a loaf pan if you're a traditionalist, just keep a toothpick ready to test to see if they are done.

Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 stick unsalted butter melted and cooled
3-4 very ripe bananas mashed well
1 tsp almond extract
zest of 1 whole orange (mixed in with wet ingredients)
juice of 1/2 the zested orange

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease a mini muffin tin. In one bowl combine all the dry ingredients and in another combine all the wet including the orange zest. Fold wet ingredients into the dry and be careful NOT to over mix!

 With a mini ice cream/melon scooper scoop batter and place in each mold. Bake for 8 mins on the middle rack.

 

Store in a airtight container for up to one week, if they last that long!

Enjoy!

Ropa Vieja (Shredded Clothes)

I first had this dish in Miami when I was there for a music conference. I went with a group of friends, and we sat down in this cozy restaurant where the only people who spoke English were my friends and myself. All my friends said that I had to try the Ropa Vieja. Well I did, and I'm glad I did... It was love at first bite.

I've come across several recipes for this popular Cuban dish. I decided that I would post the easiest one that I have. The one recipe that I cherish and I that I received from my friend Javi's Abuelita is an all day affair, and with a rambunctious 4 month old its not going to happen. If you want that recipe, please let me know and I'll send it to you.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds of flank steak, or chuck make sure meat is well marbled
4 tbs olive oil
7 cloves of garlic
1 large onion
1 large bell pepper
3 bay leaves
1/2 tbs ground cumin
pepper
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or 1 1/2 cups of cooking liquid
2 cups water
1 8oz can of tomato sauce
6oz of tomato based sofrito
1/4 cup of Spanish olives sliced (optional)

In a dutch oven with 2 tbs of oil brown meat on both sides.

 Add 2 cups of water, 1 bay leaf, 2 cloves of garlic smashes, 1/4 onion, 1/4 bell pepper. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours until meat is tender. 

 Remove meat and shred with a fork and discard any fat left over. At this point you can reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid if you do not have stock available.

 Dice up the rest of the onion, bell pepper and garlic and add to the dutch oven with 2 tbs of oil. Cook until soft and translucent.

 Add tomato sauce, Chicken stock or cooking liquid, sofrito, 2 bay leaves, cumin and shredded meat. Simmer on low for about 1 hour, leave the pot half covered.

 Add sliced olives at the end if you wish. Serve with white rice, black beans and sweet plantains.

Hope you enjoy this one.

Provecho!

Easy Cuban Black Beans

I love rice and beans, I love Cuban rice and black bean even more. Since I made Ropa Vieja today, it would be high treason if I didn't make black beans! Since I made the easy version of the Ropa Vieja, I'm going to make the east version of the black beans.

Ingredients:
1 can black beans with juice
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 onion chopped
2 slices bacon chopped
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tsp ground cumin
dash hot sauce
1/2 tbp of red wine vinegar

Cook up bacon, until halfway cooked

Add onion and garlic and  cook until translucent 

Add the remaining ingredient with the exception of the vinegar. Cook until the liquid is reduced by 1/2. The last 5mins add the red wine vinegar.

Again sorry about the lack of a final photo, I was distracted by a baby and a hungry husband.

Fried Sweet Plantains (Platanos Maduros)

These by far have to be the favorite to many. When the bright green plantain turns yellow and spotted with black spots, or even black all together. This sweet treat is always served with various Cuban and Puerto Rican dishes.

Ingredients:

Plantains cut on a bias
enough vegetable oil to cover the plantains halfway.

 

Cut plantains on a bias

Heat oil in a heavy bottom skillet. Add plantains and cook for 1 min each side.

Remove plantains and turn down the heat to low. Add the plantains back into the oil and cook for 5 mins each side.

Note you can roll plantains in white or brown sugar before frying.

Sorry I don't have a final photo, I was distracted by a baby and a hungry husband.

The B.E.L.T.

I don't know anyone who doesn't like bacon... I mean I've had a form of bacon in every country I've ever been. If that doesn't prove my point that bacon is a product of love then I don't know what will. Bacon, its meat candy!

So the B.E.L.T. as most of you know is a Bacon.Egg.Lettuce.Tomato. Sammich'. No you read right, its not a sandwich, its that deliciousness when you bite down and when someone asks you what you're eating you say. "A sammich'." I like mine with a little garlic aioli, possibly ripe avocado if I had it on hand. OH! You have to remember to season your tomatoes too man! A little salt and pepper never hurt anyone!

Ingredients:
2 slices of your favorite bread toasted
4 slices good bacon halved
lettuce of your choice
tomato seasoned with salt and pepper
egg cooked to your liking
mayo, or your favorite sammich' spread

 We've got here a piece of toasted whole wheat

 

Now with a little mayo...

 

Bacon... Yes, bacon.

 

Over easy egg, oh can you imagine when that yolk breaks open and drips all over the sammich'?

Pure. Bliss.

 

Remember to season your tomatoes, like I said a little salt and pepper never hurt anyone!

 

Lettuce is our friend if its baby field greens... yes.

 

Here we go folks. The B.E.L.T. now go eat it like its the last sammich' you'll ever have. Mmmmkay?

Ameeeerica!